2019 NFL Free Agency/A Busy Day for Green Bay

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

WOW is right. Typically I don't automatically believe articles like this, but for some reason I believe every word of this. On record going back years, wanted him fired after Seattle playoff game- would have saved several years of stuck in neutral.

 

Jennings and Finley have been on the anti-Rodgers bitter train for quite a while, and I'l always brushed it off. But seeing some of that somewhat collaborated by guys like Grant and Harris leads me to believe that there is something to it.

 

I've heard through the grapevine that Rodgers devours pretty much everything written about him during the offseason. Hopefully he reads this, and finally realizes that he isn't 100% innocent in this debacle. I know one thing ... if a chip on the shoulder is something that energizes Rodgers, this is going to provide a huge one going into the 2019 season. It was pretty obvious that the guy was checked-out at times last season. A completely engaged Rodgers is a scary good possibility.

[FVBrewerFan]

WOW is right. Typically I don't automatically believe articles like this, but for some reason I believe every word of this. On record going back years, wanted him fired after Seattle playoff game- would have saved several years of stuck in neutral.

 

Jennings and Finley have been on the anti-Rodgers bitter train for quite a while, and I'l always brushed it off. But seeing some of that somewhat collaborated by guys like Grant and Harris leads me to believe that there is something to it.

 

I've heard through the grapevine that Rodgers devours pretty much everything written about him during the offseason. Hopefully he reads this, and finally realizes that he isn't 100% innocent in this debacle. I know one thing ... if a chip on the shoulder is something that energizes Rodgers, this is going to provide a huge one going into the 2019 season. It was pretty obvious that the guy was checked-out at times last season. A completely engaged Rodgers is a scary good possibility.

 

For sure, Rodgers has some blame in all this. But it looks like the consensus is he was usually right. Has to be frustrating to know the offense is broken and you're forced to run it year after year.

[homer]

As everyone probably knows Tyler Dunne was a former Packer beat reporter.

 

I guarantee the "personnel man" in that story is Elliot Wolf.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

As everyone probably knows Tyler Dunne was a former Packer beat reporter

 

And a very good one at that. He actually cut his teeth as an intern at the Shawano Leader.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

You can bet on Rodgers not taking this constructively.

[homer]

I don't consider Jennings or Finley "reliable narrators". They are both divas themselves. But the rest of it I totally think is plausible.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think Finley is a dope. I think Jennings is not very willing to cede the spotlight to his QB but I think there is definitely merit to what he says. I think he worked his tail off and it bothered him that "Rodgers makes everyone great." From his perspective, I find that totally understandable. Not everyone is going to be Jordy or Cobb and deflect praise to the QB. The line about Rodgers telling the 49ers to get Jennings also struck me. Jennings seems a little bit oblivious to the fact that he and Rodgers are more similar than he would want to believe. They both come off to me as hypersensitive individuals.

 

Rodgers is 35 years old; he is who he is. Expecting some kind of drastic self reflection that leads to bliss is just not going to happen. Just like McCarthy never "reined in Favre," contrary to a couple years of fluff reports, nobody is changing Rodgers.

 

What you can do is get the right personalities in the room who know how to manage him without yielding too much power. Maybe they've done that, I don't know. But the article gets into how guys like BJ Raji and Charles Woodson didn't walk in his shadows. Constantly replenishing the roster with 22 year olds who were watching Rodgers dominate while in middle school is gonna have the result you think it is.

 

Rodgers has some personality flaws and the team did not learn from the Favre mistakes. They extended his leash at every sign of conflict much like they did with Favre.

[SeaBass]

I don't consider Jennings or Finley "reliable narrators". They are both divas themselves. But the rest of it I totally think is plausible.

I tend to agree, but their perspective is still valuable as long as you keep in mind that they have blind spots when it comes to Rodgers.

 

This article is a bombshell, no doubt.

 

I think the other grain of salt is, this is a condensed version of the negative aspects of these people over the course of many years. It's not like it was all bad, 24/7. As with anything there are good days and bad days and just... days. There were definitely positives that happened along the way, the focus of this was what went wrong.

 

Really good read and I hope the new direction and new coaching perspective can get the team back on course.

[OldHeidelberg]

I don't consider Jennings or Finley "reliable narrators". They are both divas themselves. But the rest of it I totally think is plausible.

 

How many times did Finley bring up the $200 million contract? Could be JMike is a little jealous.

[Samurai Bucky]

Rodgers is 35 years old; he is who he is. Expecting some kind of drastic self reflection that leads to bliss is just not going to happen. Just like McCarthy never "reined in Favre," contrary to a couple years of fluff reports, nobody is changing Rodgers.

I think that is why Murphy chose LaFleur as the coach. He has worked with other top quarterbacks and has a reputation of being able to relate to them in a way that McCarthy could not.

 

I do agree that there have been a lot of rings left on the table. Not only during Rodgers' tenure, but during Favre's as well.

[JimH5]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

[pacopete4]

That article was amusing in ways and sad in others. What a bunch of boneheads.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

Love him or hate him, McGinn has touched on a lot of these issues in the past. And he got canned at the Journal Sentinel, and can't even get a press pass to cover the team via his website now. The Packers are not a media-friendly organization, and haven't been since the days of Ron Wolf.

[homer]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

Love him or hate him, McGinn has touched on a lot of these issues in the past. And he got canned at the Journal Sentinel, and can't even get a press pass to cover the team via his website now. The Packers are not a media-friendly organization, and haven't been since the days of Ron Wolf.

 

I don't think he was canned. He was going to retire and move to Michigan but his son convinced him to start the website as a business venture.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

Love him or hate him, McGinn has touched on a lot of these issues in the past. And he got canned at the Journal Sentinel, and can't even get a press pass to cover the team via his website now. The Packers are not a media-friendly organization, and haven't been since the days of Ron Wolf.

 

I don't think he was canned. He was going to retire and move to Michigan but his son convinced him to start the website as a business venture.

 

"Retirement", "semi-forced retirement" ... whatever you want to call it. He didn't want to leave. That is 100% from the horse's mouth.

[OldHeidelberg]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

They have been afraid of being denied access in retribution. I have always thought it strange the JS didn't ever say much about how the Packer org was so focused on expanding revenue when they were making boatloads of cash with no end in sight. This is the second article recently that has touched on them running things like a corporation rather than a football team.

 

The massage thing sure won't look good on MM's resume. Wow

[OldSchoolSnapper]

McGinn didn't want to leave? Huh? The horse's mouth, McGinn's, spoke very adamantly that he left on his own terms. Martin Kaiser begged him to stay and he said no thanks. He wanted to do his own thing, which he's done. Unless I missed something else, he was very, very clear that it was his choice to leave the JS.

[FVBrewerFan]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

I used to be in this camp, and it's not just the Packers. Same goes for Brewers/Bucks coverage. But I have come to know a couple sports reporters in recent years, and they have a good point. They do hear things, know things, etc. that are newsworthy but negative to player or coach. If they report that, word gets around and they get frozen out. If you can't do your job, you don't have a job. So it is a fine line.

[homer]

 

"Retirement", "semi-forced retirement" ... whatever you want to call it. He didn't want to leave. That is 100% from the horse's mouth.

 

A buy-out is not the same thing as getting canned. If that's what happened...

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Forcing McGinn out would not make any sense for a struggling newspaper, which is just about all of them. That is pushing a whole lot of clicks out the door. McGinn's big thing was sources outside the team from a career of reporting, and film study. The bulk of his work really didn't rely on the Packers. So I can't see any logical reason they'd want him out.

 

https://totalpackers.com/2017/05/bob-mcginn-heres-job-done/

[pacopete4]

It's shameful that with the overwhelming amount of coverage that the Packers are given by local print and broadcast media--almost all of it fawning and celebratory--that it took all this time for this story to break.

 

It's either that they were too busy worshiping the beloved Packers, or they were creating content strictly as puff pieces, afraid of turning off fans.

 

I used to be in this camp, and it's not just the Packers. Same goes for Brewers/Bucks coverage. But I have come to know a couple sports reporters in recent years, and they have a good point. They do hear things, know things, etc. that are newsworthy but negative to player or coach. If they report that, word gets around and they get frozen out. If you can't do your job, you don't have a job. So it is a fine line.

 

On top of this great point we live in the era that people think they NEED to know every single thing about their teams players. Their person lives, locker room stuff, etc... It’s gotten out of hand in many ways.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

McGinn didn't want to leave? Huh? The horse's mouth, McGinn's, spoke very adamantly that he left on his own terms. Martin Kaiser begged him to stay and he said no thanks. He wanted to do his own thing, which he's done. Unless I missed something else, he was very, very clear that it was his choice to leave the JS.

 

This is really starting to get off-subject, but suffice it to say the JS gave him the opportunity to appear as though he was leaving on his terms. He wasn't forced, but he was very much nudged. Gannett has a very different philosophy on how they treat their editorial personnel, especially those who work remotely. McGinn wanted his situation to remain as it had been for years, which Gannett was unwilling to do. It's something they very easily could have done, especially for someone of McGinn's stature in the journalism world. That's why he's no longer there. Saying he was "canned" was probably not the correct terminology to use on my part. They made doing his job difficult to the point where he no longer wanted to do it for them.

 

Believe me or not, it's doesn't matter to me. Just saying what I know. And in the whole scheme of things, this has turned off-topic.

[xisxisxis]

I reread the article and it's clear there's a lot of noise there as each person has a different viewpoint for the train wreck. I think that ultimately it makes everyone across the organization look bad. It's hard to say it was McCarthy, or it was Rodgers, when it really was both and their own issues. What's clear is that there is way to much taking themselves seriously and not enough relationship building on that team. When Jennings "imitates a female dog" about Roger's comment to the SF DB, you have the perfect example. Jennings comment was "Because I'm in a contract year". 1) If you are serious then when Rogers responds "you guys should pick him up" to the niner, then Rogers is either serious and right or making a joke; 2) if Jennings was making a joke then Rogers was making a joke. Why be offended when he's trying to establish a relationship... Sounds like a perfect storm of Dicks with Finley, Jennings, Rogers, etc. taking themselves way to seriously. If you can't have a relationship that you can joke together then you seriously have a problem... My recollection of Jeff Janis is that everyone agreed he was a few cells short in the Brains department so I can understand Rogers getting on him if he was having issues with learning the plays/routes, etc. Nice/Not nice wasn't the issue.

 

Another issue appears to be the lack of candor amongst the coaches and players. I've never had an issue going to a supervisor to discuss an issue with someone we both report to. Every player should feel he can talk to his immediate position coach if he has an issue with the coach or any other team member. It shouldn't be a constant process or a "female dog" session, but it should be productive. What would be different over the last 10 years if someone early on said to McCarthy: "Aaron has a chip on his shoulder about you selecting Alex Smith before him". Who knows, maybe it did happen and McCarthy was like 'duck that he needs to get over it'... As a boss, admitting you make mistakes in front of your staff has very little downside and makes them realize you will take responsibility... What a cluster.... situation. Too few adults and way too many diva's...

[homer]

I like your creative avoidance of the cuss filter

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Rodgers and Jennings are both intelligent. If he makes that joke and it's some dopey player, he'll laugh it off or it goes over his head. Like I said earlier, I think Jennings is actually more like Rodgers than he realizes. Both of those guys had intent behind the dialogue in the specific event at the 49er game. They both come off overly sensitive. Rodgers does not say stuff that isn't deliberate, I think everybody can agree on that.

 

The root of GJ/AR thing I think really comes down to Jennings refusal to "get in line" and remain in Rodgers's shadow. Someone like Jordy Nelson goes along with it because he'd probably prefer to be left alone anyway. Jennings wanted people to see that he was responsible for his own success. I can imagine working your rear off your whole life to get in there and then having people say you're only there because of the QB gets pretty annoying if you let it bother you.